Eames eager to grasp Knights opportunity

The second-row made the switch from Lady Bay during the summer but has been on the bench for the South Yorkshire club’s opening three Championship games of the season.

However, after Doncaster’s first loss, a tight 15-9 defeat at Yorkshire Carnegie on Sunday, Eames is promoted to the first XV when Nottingham arrive at Castle Park this afternoon, veteran Matt Challinor dropping to the replacements.

“I’ve enjoyed it so far here and it has been good,” he said.

“The competition for the shirt is unreal.

“The boys in front of me have done a cracking job.

“I’m there to support them and I’m fighting for that shirt as well.

“I’m very excited to be facing Nottingham now; I know most of the boys there, it’s going to be a good battle and a good game to get involved in.”

Doncaster director of rugby Clive Griffiths makes three changes in total with hooker David Nelson replacing Ben Hunter – and making his first ever Championship start having signed from Newcastle Falcons in the summer – and Declan Cusack being preferred to Simon Humberstone at fly-half.

Nottingham have impressed so far this term.

They won 46-10 at Rotherham Titans on the opening day, fell narrowly 35-27 at home to Carnegie but responded with an impressive 33-31 win at London Scottish last week.

Meanwhile, Knights, who beat Jersey and Rotherham in their opening games, had chances to snatch victory at Headingley.

Eames admitted: “We made mistakes but they’re easy mistakes to put right.

“We were very disappointed, battled for the full 80 and were unlucky not to get a try at the end. But it was our own mistakes that cost us the game and we know what we have to do to get it right now at Nottingham.”